Pneumatic mechanism for conveying articles



Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

4 S HEETSSHEET l.

E. E. LAWRENCE AND K. D. LOOSE. PNEUMATIC MECHANISM FOR CONVEYING ARTICLES. APPLICATION FILED APR.4. I921.

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E. E. LAWRENCE AND K. D. LOOSE. PNEUMATIC MECHANISM FOR CONVEYING ARTICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4.192I- Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

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E.- E. LAWRENCE AND K. D., LOOSE. PNEUMATIC MECHANISM FOR CONVEYING ARTICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR: 4. I92].

Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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E. E. LAWRENCE AND K. D. LOOSE. PNEUMATIC MECHANISM FOR CONVEYING ARTICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4. I921- 1,413,743.. Pa ented Apr. 25, 1922..

4 SHhETS-SHEET 4.

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UNITED STATES EDWARD E. L wEENc or JAMAICA, AND

AssIGNoEs T0 LoosE-wILEs. BISCUIT YoEK, A coEroEA'rIoN or NEW YORK.

KENNETH; D. LoosE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

COMPANY, OF LONG ISLAND CITY,

rNEUMA'rrc MECHANISM FOR cONVEYING ARTICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 25, 1922,

Original application filed October 1, 1920, Serial No. 414,034. Divided and this application filed April 4,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD E. LAW- RENOE and KENNETH D. Loosn, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Jamaica and New York, in the counties, respectively, of Queens and New York, State" of New York, have invented an Improvement in Pneumatic Mechanism for Conveying Articles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings. representing like parts.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 414,034, filed October 1, 1920.

This invention relates to pneumatic mechanism for conveying'articles, the disclosed example of whichis food products.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, we have disclosed a single embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is aside elevation of the main parts of a pneumatic conveying and stacking mechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the struc ture shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the pneumatic drum or conveyor shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

We will disclose our invention with reference to the conveying and gacking of food products, without, however, limiting our invention thereto.

In a co-pending application, Serial No.- 411,403, we have represented wholly mechanical means for conveying and for -stack ing articles, the represented type whereof is, The stacking mechanism food products. proper represented in this case is substantially that shown and claimed in said companion application.

We are aware that heretofore it has been pro'posed to arrange or stack crackers for packing, but so far as we are aware, no satisfactory apparatus for this purpose has been placed upon the market, although numerous attempts have been made to provide apparatus for this purpose. The desirability of 1921. Serial No. 458,483.

satisfactory facing, conveying and stacking apparatusfor-articles of a disk like form and particularly for crackers and like food products is manifest, since the latter arti- 'cles are. now packed in small cartons or receptacles usually of the width and depth ofa' cracker and of a length sufl'cient to re ceive or'accommodate a stack of substantial length. In satisfactorily stacking crackers or like food products, it is important that they all facethe same way, that is, that they be face-to back, and that the stacks or rows of the assembled crackers be accurately arranged and in face to back relation, so that a sufficient number to constitute a stack that will fill a single carton may be quickly taken by an operator or by suitable mechanism from a row in the conveying and stacking mechanism and be inserted with a minimum loss of time into the carton or receptacle. p I

The mechanism herein disclosed constitutes the preferred pneumatic embodiment of the broad invention that is more generally-and generically claimed in said. compamon application, and accomplishesthe desirable results that we have above indicated.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, we have at 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 indicatedor if desired articles of any nature but desirably of a disklike form, may be conveyed from any suitable source. At 10 in Figs. 1 and 3, we have represented the empty pans that have passed'in operative relation to the mechanism of our invention and from which 'the crackers or the like have been removed pneumatically. Desirably the empty pans are returned in any suitable manner and not herein disclosed to the place where they are to be re-filled. Within the scope of the invention the pans may be fed either from the left or from the right view-. ing Fig. 1, toward the pneumatic mechanism herein disclosed' Viewing Fig. 3, it I will be observedthat the filled pans 8 are pan 8 when beneath the drum 11.

. agitated so as to render the contents conveyed by the chains 7 along channel irons throughout its surface with a very large number of small, closely positioned perforations 12 and is at one end connected with, a conduit 13 that is itselfin communication with a blower or suction device of any approved type, but preferably one by which a strong suctionmay be created sufficient to lift the crackers or other articles from the filled pans 8fand to cause them to. cling to the rotating surface of the drum 11 until released therefrom as hereinafter set forth.

It has been found in practice to bevery desirable to agitate the crackers upon the It has been found that such agitation very slightly separates or elevates the crackers from the pan 8 or at least permits a slight film or layer of air to'enter beneath the crackers, with the result that such agitated crackers are more readily responsive to the suction created at the surface of the drum, 11. While for this purpose any suitable means may be provided, we have herein represented the following means.

Upon a shaft 14 suitably supported in the framing are two cams 15 herein represented as pentagonal in shape. In the rotation of the said cams the points 16 and the flat faces 17 alternately are brought into contact with the under face of a "ertically movable frame 18 upon which the channel irons 10' rest beneath the drum 11 with the result that at such point the channel irons, conveyor chains and the filled pans are sharply of said pans more susceptible to the suction existing at the surface of the drum 11. Desirably the agitation is in such a direction as slightly to lift the crackers or other articles, but within the scope of the invention agitation in any suitable direction may be resorted to for the purpose stated, as for example, in a transverse direction.

The frame 18 is supported by a suitable number of upright rods or posts 19, preferably four, which at their lower ends pass through openings in parts 20 of the frame and therebeneath are surrounded by strong coiled springs 21 that are compressed between said part of the framing and nuts and washers 22 upon the lower ends of said posts or rods, the construction and arrangement being such that the frame 18 is intermittently and rapidly vibrated against the action of the coiled springs 21, the latter serving to return the frame 18 to its lower or normal position. v

The shaft 14 may be rotated in any suitable manner. For the purpose we have represented it as provided with a sprocket 23 about which passes a sprocket chain 24, also speed may be imparted-to the sprocket 51" and hence to the sprocket'chain 50 and the parts driven thereby.

The shaft 14 is mounted in vertical, adjustable bearings, and to that end the sprocket chain 24 is so constructed and arranged as to permit of such adjustment of the shaft. In order to adjust the shaft 14 in a vertical direction, we have herein chosen to provide a shaft 30adapted to be turned by a hand wheel 30. Upon said shaft 30, at the opposite ends, we provide fibre cams or eccentrics 31, upon each of which rests a member 32 constituting a lower prolongation of abearing 32 for said shaft. Said members 32 may be supported wholly upon said cams or eccentrics 31 or, if desired, we may provide said members with vertical slots to receive bolts tapped into the framing and carrying nuts to be slackened when it is desired to adjust the shaft 14 by the The drum '11 may be of any suitable I length, but it is desirably several feet in length, and it has required very extensive experimentation so to construct the drum and the parts immediately co-acting therewith as to insure a substantially even suction action at the surface of the drum throughout the entire length thereof. I N ormally the suction is greatest at that end of the drum that is connected as at the conduit 13, Figs. 2 and 5, with the fan or blower. It is of great importance and particularly where the crackers or other articles are to be delivered from the drum in a comparatively large number of rows, each consisting of articles arranged edgewise, that there be a substantially uniform suction action throughout the length of the drum so that the crackers or other articles may be delivered into the several rows at a rate approaching uniformity, After much experimentation, we have provided the following mechanism interiorly supported with re- 'suitable number of spider-like members 54,

spect to the drum 11 and also constituting means whereby the suction is cut off at suc- A shaft or cross member 33 is stationarily mounted in any suitable manner and as for example at one end in a suitable upright 34:.

extending to the floor 35, and at the other end as shown in Fig. 4 in a hub 36 of a spider 37, the ring or annular member 38 whereof is supported upon the conduit 13 extending as stated from the framing 39 of the blower. The shaft'33 is preferably hollow to permit oiling of various parts of the mechanism. The drum 11 is itself mounted to rotatevupon or about the stationary shaft 33 and for that purpose it isprovided with an outer closed end 40 having a hub 41 through which the stationary shaft 33 passes. The hub 41 is supported upon a suitable part'42 of the framing and at its outer end is provided with a gear wheel 43 meshing with and driven by a pinion 44 upon a shaft 45, having fast thereon a gear wheel'46, itself meshing with and driven by a pinion 47 upon a shaft 48 having fast therewith a sprocket 49 about which passes a sprocket chain 50 driven by sprocket pinion 51 upon the shaft 52 of the variable speed device 29.

At its opposite or left hand end viewing Fig. 4, the drum 11 is provided with a ring 53 desirably beveled as indicated and rotating against the inner correspondingly beveled face of the stationary ring 38.

The construction and arrangement are such that the drum 11 is rotated at a suitable speed and conveys the crackers or other articles from a filled pan directly beneath the same and in contraclockwise direction view-. ing Fig. 3, to the upper ends of chutes or receivers not shown.

Fast upon the stationary shaft 33 are a three of which are represented in Fig. 4.

Desirably these said members are of, a somewhat segmental form and are represented in Fig. 3 as having three radiating arms 55, extending from hubs 56 to segments ,57 here shown as extending through substantially 180 degrees. Upon the said segments 57 is supported a stationarybaflie drum 58 which is substantially of the length of the drum 11 and throughout about 180 degrees of its own surface is in contact with the inner surface of the drum 11 as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. The said baffle drum 58 is at one p'artprovided with a substantially radial portion 59 of the full lengthof said baflie drum and extending inwardlyat certain of the radial arms a sufiicient distance where it merges into a spiral surface 60 which, as represented in Fig. 3, gradually approaches the inner surface of the drum 11 and finally merges into the surface 58 at the full diameter of the said baflie drum.

Because of the described construction there is more static pressure or suction ator in the vicinity of the radial portion 59 than at the succeeding parts, suchstatic pressure or suction gradually decreasing as the point is approached where the surface 60 merges with the surface 58. 1

The surface of the said baflle drum composed of the surfaces'58, 59,60 is imperforate excepting for the provision of a certain number of openings, two of which are indicated at 61, 62 in Fig. 4.

Desirably and in herein shown there are provided four of the openings 61, 6 2, and between adjacent openings spiral or semi-crescent shaped partitions 63 are provided integral with or rigid with the surfaces 59, 60, and filling at intervals the entire space between the spiral surface 60 and the inner face of the drum 11,- it being understood that the said partitions are relatively thin and occupy comparatively little space -lengthwise of the drum 11.- The said partitions are. provided merely to cut off communication between the several openings 61,

that type of the invention 62, etc. between thespiralsurface 60 and the inner surface of the drum 11.

Desirably each of the openings 61, 62, etc. is provided with a sliding damper or. member 64 mounted in guides 65, 66 so that the relative areas of the several openings 61, 62, etc. may be such as are found best suited to secure uniform suction at the outer surface of the drum 11 from end to end thereof. We

suction-at the surface of the drum 11 throughout the entire length thereof. 7 Viewing Figs. 3 and 4, it will be evident that the air is drawn through the openings openings 61, 62', etc., and that as a consequence the crackers or other articles 9 will be drawn forcibly against the rotating sur- 12 ofthe drum 11 and through the several ner and preferably to permit them to be stacked.

surface gradually with Obviously, however, the crackers or other articles may be handled in any desired manher when discharged from the drum 11.

While our invention has been described reference to food products, it is clearly to be understood that it is in no wise limited to such use but is of broad application.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of the invention, we desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention 'be ing set forth in the following claims.

Claims 1. Mechanism for conveying disk-like articles comprising a movable member having a perforated surface at which suction is adapted to be created, means to present a series of disk-like articles to said surface, and means to move said surface to convey the articles to the desired place.

2. Mechanism for conveying disk-like articles comprising a rotatable member having a perforated surface at which suction is adapted to be created, means to present a series ofdisk-like articles to the surface of said rotatable member, and means to rotate said member to convey the articles to the desired place.

3. Mechanism for conveying disk-like articles comprising a rotatable member having a perforated surface at which suction is adapted to be created, means to present a series of disk like articles to said surface, a baflie within said member to cut off suction at predetermined parts of the surface so as to release the articles, and means to move said member. I

4. Mechanism for conveying disk-like articles comprising a rotatable member having a perforated surface at which suction is is adapted to be created, means to present a series of disk like articles to said surface, a stationary baffle positioned within said rotatable member, and means to rotate said member about the bafii'e so that successive portions of the surface of said member re ceive the articles by adhesion and subsequently release the same.

5. Mechanism for conveying disk-like articles comprising a rotatable member having a perforated surface at which suction is adapted to be created, and a battle mounted within the rotatable member and having a approaching the inner surface ,of the rotatable member.

6. Mechanism for conveying disk-like articles comprising a rotatable drum having a perforated surface at which suction is adapted to be created, and an interior baflle v of general drum-like form having a surface, a portion of which is concentric with that of the rotatable member and a portion of which is of a spiral form.

7. Mechanism for conveying disk-like articles comprising a rotatable drum having a perforated surface at which suction is adapted to be created, and an interior havlng means to distribute the suction with substantial uniformity throughout the extentof the drum and means to present a series of disk like articles to the perforated surface of said drum.

9. Mechanism for conveying disk-like articles comprising a suction drum havinga perforated surface, and a bafi le within said drum having a series of openings ranging longitudinally of said bafiie, and partitions between said bafile openings and extending substantially to the drum.

10. Mechanism for conveying disk-like articles comprising a suction drum having a perforated surface, means to rotate said drum, and a bafile within said drum, said baflie having a surface that is partly concentric with that of the drum and partly spiral with relation thereto, said spiral portion of the baffle having a series of openings therein. 1 1. Mechanism for conveying disk-like articles comprising a suction drum having a perforated surface,'means to rotate said drum, and a baffle within said drum, said baflie having a surface that is partly concentric and partly eccentric with relation to the inner surface of the drum, and a series of partitions between the eccentric'and concentric portions of saidbaflle and drum, there being openings in the baffle between said partitions.

12. Mechanism for conveying disk like articles comprising a perforated suction drum, means to rotate the same, a stationary baffle within the drum having openings along inner surface of the the length thereof through which suction maybe created at the surface of the drum, and means to vary the size of said openings in the baffle.

13. Mechanism for conveying disk-like articles comprising a movable member having a perforated surface at which suction is adapted to be created, a support for the articles to be acted upon by said movable memher, and means to agitate the articles upon said support to facilitate the adhesion of said articles to the surface of said member,

14. Mechanism for conveying disk-like articles comprising a rotatable suction drum having a perforated surface, a conveyor for the articles to be acted upon by said drum,

' and means to agitate said articles between said support in proximity to the surface of the drum thereby to facilitate the adhesion 10 i EDWARD E. LAWRENCE." KENNETH} n. LOOSE. 

